Mme. Giry took Erik's arm as the carriage rounded the corner out of sight.
"So, my friend, what shall we do with ourselves now?"
When he turned to her, his smile was sad, but she had been so afraid of his returning to madness that this calm grief was almost a comfort. Had he fallen into despair again, what would they have done? Meg's salary was not enough for both of them to live on, and if he had become destructive again—the thought chilled her. Their existence seemed very fragile, in the face of such notions. But it had not happened.
"We will go forward, I suppose."
Mme. Giry squeezed his arm and turned her head so that he would not see the tears that pricked her eyes. Whatever détente they had come to, it had changed him. Perhaps he was stronger than she gave him credit for, or perhaps he was less fixed in his stubbornness. Regardless, she was glad for it, even as she wondered (with a pang of guilt) whether this would have been accomplished years ago if she had spoken to him more or had encouraged him to learn something of the world.
It was so good to have a quiet day. A little excitement could be welcome, but she felt as if she had spent the past four days tiptoeing on sharp stones. That poor girl, to cause such trouble everywhere she went. With a face and a voice like that, Christine might have more of the same before her. Perhaps the Swedish would turn out to be a more stoic people.
He went back to his desk and she to mending. More than anything, she wanted to ask him what he and Christine had decided, how this new calm had come about. Perhaps, in a few days, she would ask. Strange to think, that Christine Daae could spend four days in their house and Erik remain himself. Strange to think that she was gone again, on a train north, and the two of them were sitting silently, all over again. What had they been speaking of when she arrived? She asked him.
He was never so still as when he was listening or thinking. To her knowledge, Erik never forgot anything, so she was not surprised when he blinked slowly at her after a moment.
"I believe it was about opening a dance school."
Ah, of course. An absurd idea, but she would have to think of something. She couldn't be dependent on Erik's generosity forever.